Vampire academy with a twist
by Hebble
Summary: starts in frostbite. i added a few more characters to try and view the series from a different person don't read if you haven't read the actual books contains spoilers. first fanic i suck at summaries. M to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the plot I just wanted to see the story from a different perspective. But I didn't want 2 try and get into Dimitri's head although we all want to so I found the easiest thing was 2 make another character. But I do own Chloe and Haley. Oh and its set in frostbite...

ONE

Uugh the suspense was killing me! Walking around this little English Motel room, just waiting. Usually I'm a patient person, being a Dhampir you have to be to make a good guardian, but even being a guardian since I was six years old hasn't taught me enough patience I need to stop the anxiety of a much anticipated phone call that determines my future and ultimately, Haley's.

This phone call determined wether or not I am accepted back into an academy so I can graduate and become a promised guardian and be assigned to Haley until separated by death. This won't happen on my watch. Dimitri was meant to have called by now they were supposed to make their decision on my entry last night and Dimitri was meant to call with the answer at 1 its now 1:23. Maybe they haven't decided yet or he doesn't want to tell me the bad news. Or he is just being mean and selfish and wants me to have an anxiety attack!! No he wouldn't do that something really important must be keeping him. I'll just have to wait.

"Chloe can you stop pacing and chattering to yourself he'll ring when he's ready and I'm trying to sleep here!" Haley mumbled from her bed.

Okay, okay I thought to myself just try and relax its all okay. So that's what I did I relaxed and did some self meditation.

I must have relaxed a little too much and somehow fell asleep I must have made myself unbelievably tired from all the stress because I was completely out of it when my phone started ringing right in my ear and scared the hell out of me.

"Hello" I groggily managed to form.

"Hey" a very serious Dimitri responded. "Chloe I'm so sorry I didn't ring you at 1 there was a disaster at the Badica house"

"What! An attack at the Badica house! During the day! How, Why…."

"We don't know we are looking into it but that attack just guaranteed you and Haley a spot at the academy because of lack of guardians and they think Haley especially needs the protection being a Conta, their family is small enough."

"Okay, we will jump on a plane right now and fly to Missoula. Will you be there when we land?" I asked pleadingly it had been so long since I have seen him.

"Not likely but I will be here when you get here."

And with that he hung up. "Haley" I yelled "get your things we're going to America.

"Yay" she screamed but noticed that I wasn't as excited as I should be. "Chloe what's wrong shouldn't you be ecstatic it's what you wanted"

"I'm happy we're going there but the strigoi attacked the Badica house today that's why he didn't ring, he was busy" she just went silent as she gathered her things. We left for the airport in silence both of us just thinking I could feel that she was scared she didn't want to get attacked. I squeezed her hand in comfort and gave a grim smile she started to relax a little. I think I would be lost without the psychic bond that we share and only because of her powers is why I'm alive and know exactly how she feels.


	2. Chapter 2

TWO

Disclaimer I don't own anything in this other than Chloe and Haley. Sorry for the first two short chapters the next one will be longer please read a review.

TWO

We arrived in Missoula and went with a guardian that had a sign with our names on it. I swear they only ever do that in the movies but anyway. He introduced himself as guardian Alto and told us to get into the car he would worry about our bags so we complied and sat in the car as he got our bags. Once we were on the road there was just silence in the car Haley was silently chatting to me while I gave subtle responses that only she would see or know the meaning of. I could still imagine what guardian Alto would think of me "some teenage dropout that thinks she can just come into school for a few months learn everything and graduate to be a guardian. Pfft she's got another thing coming."

Once we arrived at the academy and signed in they showed us to our rooms mine was on the fourth floor of the novice dorms. Once I had unpacked and got organised classes were over and the commons were full of people buzzing around. They were probably buzzing about the recent events with the Badica's and everything. Well they were buzzing until they saw me walk down the stairs. Yup I was definitely the new girl that either they didn't know was coming or know I haven't been to a vampire academy since I was 5. The looks on some of the guy's faces told me that either they have never seen a girl before or like most found me hot. I still don't know what I have that they like. I'm short 5"3' have dirty blonde long hair and grey eyes. I suppose I do have that X frame that most human women crave so much but heaps of women in the vampire world have that. I'm rather petite for a dhampir and have more of a Moroi shape but not the height. I don't have a clue what went on with my DNA but something did. I ignored them and walk straight through out the door. I knew Haley was still unpacking so I didn't bother going to see how she was I could feel that she was happy. So I went to look for the one person who would have got me here in the first place. I don't know how he convinced them I could graduate with no guardian training at an academy but he did somehow.

It was after classes and he doesn't teach anyway so I went to the guardian dorms and asked the women at the desk if guardian Belikov was in and what number his room was. She looked at me knowingly obviously Dimitri had to tell them to get me in. Damn I wonder if the students know I hope not I don't want special treatment. She said he has extra training sessions with a Rosemary Hathaway before and after school so he most likely would have been in the gym. She directed me there so I thanked her and walked out in the direction she said.

I found the gym easily and when I got there the lesson must not have started yet because Dimitri was the only one there setting up dummies he looked nearly the same as he did 3 years ago when I last saw him for his 21st birthday. I burst through the doors and ran straight up to him jumping into his arms as he caught me in a big hug since he was so tall and I was so short he lifted me up like a little kid and I wrapped my legs around his waist. He always used to carry me around like this. I snuggled my head into his chest and breathed in his scent, a scent that has been absent in my life for to long. We stood there like that for a while just hugging and him playing with my pony tail. It brought back memories of when he trained me when I was little and if I hurt myself he would always pick me up and hug me like this and play with my hair to make me feel better. The memories came to an abrupt halt as I was slapped back into reality as the doors burst opened letting in a gust of cold wind and who must be Rose standing there in shock and what looked like hurt for a second as she took in Dimitri and myself. He quickly put me down and turned to Rose and simply said lets start training. As I turned to leave I said I was going to see Christian he called out a room number which I guess must be Christians. I could still feel Roses piercing eyes on my back as I left. I can only imagine what she was thinking "I can't believe it the new girl and Dimitri that's just gross he's seven years older than her and she just got here."

I briskly walked to the Moroi dorm and the room Dimitri gave me. I knocked on the door three times. I heard a "coming, I'm coming" from inside before the door swung open. The look on his face was priceless.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: as usual I don't own anything. Hope you don't mind the long chapter. Enjoy!

THREE

He was just standing there staring at me as if I had three heads. "Yeah hey how are you I've missed you to, so much what have you been doing for these last few boring years of your life that I haven't been in?"

All of a sudden he defrosted and engulfed me into a big bear hug that squeezed all the air out of my lungs. There was a gasp behind my and Christian looked up and let me go abruptly, so abruptly I nearly stumble backward. "Liss she's an old friend, well she's not old but we were friends when we were kids and we haven't seen each other in years it was a welcome hug."

"mmm hmmm" was all she said before she went barging inside his room with him trotting after how can I get caught hugging two different guys by two different girls thinking it was more than what it really was. I was about to turn around and go and see how Haley was doing when another person from my childhood came marching up the stairwell.

"Tasha!" and Christians aunty she had long hair and a heart shaped face with big eyes the same pale wintry blue eyes that occurred in the Ozera family. She was a lovely woman and very pretty even with the scars across her face.

"Chloe darling it's been so long. And look how much you have grown since I last saw you you've turned into a beautiful young lady."

"And look at you, you haven't changed since I last saw which was how long, 5 years ago"

"Yes I think so, so what brought you back here for your last year of school?"

"My promise mark. If I don't have it I cant guard Haley any more and she will be assigned to someone else."

"Ahh I see, where is young Haley is she here as well, oh how silly of me of course she is. I was planning on taking Christian and Vasilisa ice skating near the old log cabin in the forest would you and Haley care to join us I would love to catch up with you to."

"Yeah we would love to ill just go get her do you want us to meet you there or here and we'll all walk together?"

"Meet us here we wont leave without you"

"Thankyou ill go see if I can find Haley."

I turned and ran down the stairs I wasn't exactly sure which room Haley was in so I used my bond to find her. It led me to a door on the 2nd floor I knocked in my usual chirpy 3 short knocks. She swung the door open immediately and dragged me inside. It took my eyes a minute to adjust to the room, she had hot pink everything everywhere. The curtains, bedspread, cloth over the desk, pens, stapler, pen holder, sticky tape dispenser, candles and everything else. In just a few short hours she had turned the room into a very bright, very pink palace.

"What do you think?" she asked excited bouncing up and down. She looked exactly like a little kid in a candy shop. Only she's 5"9' and has curly light brown hair that frames her face and large bright green eyes that remind me or a cat.

"It's … wow just wow…" where did she get all this pink she didn't have it in England. I knew pink was her favourite colour but she had never done this she only had the odd pink pen or pencil. "Where exactly did this come from?" although I already had a fair idea. As Haley is a spirit user and can perform mind blowingly awesome stuff. She is an awesome healer she can heal anything she touches she brought me back from the dead which created our bond but another talent she has that I have never known anyone else to have is that she can manifest and create stuff out of nothing. Which I'm sure is where this room came from.

"Just a little, insy, winsy bit or magic" she replied in her cutest kid in trouble voice that she knows I always cave at.

*sigh* that's all I could do. She knows I don't like her creating things like this because sooner of later they need explaining and its hard to explain to someone how you got something when you haven't left the room to buy it or had enough time to put it up anywhere. But that was when we lived among humans so it could be easier to tell a vampire or dhampir that it was magic. They could actually be able to comprehend it.

"So what did you come over for it isn't dinner yet? Are you missing me already or do old habits die hard and you will be spending every waking and sleeping moment by my side even though we have heaps of guardians and wards to protect me?"

"No I will leave you alone when ever you want here you can do your own thing as long as you don't go outside the wards, and anyway I'm here to tell you that Tasha Ozera has invited us to a cabin to catch up and Christian is coming to, oh and his girlfriend…who I think hates me."

"What did you do to her??"

"Nothing she just came in when Christian was hugging me and I don't think she liked it."

"Well you'll have to make it up to her tonight when are we going?"

"Now so come on I don't want to hold them up." We walked back to Christian's room and left no sooner than we walked in the door. Tasha led us through the forest and we were just about out of the wards of the school when there was a little log cabin nestled amongst the trees. There was a small frozen pond behind it that glittered in the moon light. It was like a solid sheet of glass covering the pond and froze it in time. It was just still and mesmerising. Tasha broke the trance that had fallen over all of us by coming out with ice skates and passed a pair to each of us.

"Are you sure its thick enough?" Lissa asked sounding worried and looking concerned.

"Its fine ill go first if I fall through you can laugh and know not to go on." Christian tried to comfort her but she still didn't look overly happy. Christian and I raced to get our skates on and on the ice. I won of course. While Lissa and Haley chatted about something else and eventually came walking over to the ponds edge. After nearly and hour of skating I could see that Christian didn't really want Haley and I there and wanted some time alone with Lissa I skated over to Haley and told her I was going inside to talk to Tasha. She was more eager to get off the ice than I though because she jumped at the idea.

"Where going to go and catch up with your aunt." I called to Christian he just nodded and turned his attention back to Lissa.

We had just walked inside and Tasha made us some hot chocolates when I heard footsteps outside. I realised that I was the only dhampir here with four moroi my instincts kicked in before I could control them. I suppose it didn't help that I've been outside wards and unprotected by other guardians for 11 years of my life. I ran outside and crouched in a defensive stance waiting. The footsteps were getting closer. They were nearly there when I realised that I didn't feel nauseous like I normally would if a strigoi was close. It made me relax a little. But not as much as when I heard the voices of that belonged to the foot steps. Dimitri was one of them I didn't know the other female voice but had a feeling that it would be Rose.

As they came into the clearing Lissa grinned and called out "Rose!" Christian glared as he knew he wouldn't get any more romantic moments and we had only just left the pond so he didn't even really get any. As Lissa made her way awkwardly to the ponds edge Rose made a strange face that seemed like the same one all of us had when we first saw the pond but it was dampened by another emotion that she was trying to hide.

"Thanks for inviting me to the party." She remarked

"I figured you were busy," Lissa defended herself "and this is secret anyway. We aren't supposed to be here." She clarified what anyone could have guessed. Tasha came out of the cabin.

"You bring party crashers, Dimka?" she questioned the puzzled look on Roses face was enough to give away that she had no idea who she was talking to. Surprise glazed her features as Dimitri laughed. I guess she doesn't hear that often.

"it's impossible to keep Rose away from places she shouldn't be. She always find them eventually, just like some one else I know." He added starting at me I couldn't help but give him my cute childish grin that I know lets me get away with almost anything when it comes to him. Rose didn't seem to like that comment much because she shot me a quick glare before turning to Tasha. It seems she just realised the scare across her cheek.

"Tasha Ozera," she introduced herself. "I've heard a lot about you, Rose." She gave Christian a dangerous look, before Tasha laughed and informed her. "Don't worry, it was all good."

"No it wasn't" Christian countered

Tasha just shook her head in exasperation. "Honestly I don't know where he got such horrible social skills. He didn't learn them from me."

"What are you guys doing out here?" Rose asked

"I wanted to spend some time with these two and catch up with Chloe and Haley" Tasha replied. "But I don't really like hanging around the school itself. They aren't always hospitable…."

"Because…..because of what happened…." Rose stated awkwardly. After what Christian's parents did the whole Ozera family has been facing the same discrimination.

Tasha shrugged. "That's the way it is." She rubbed her hands together and exhaled, her breath making a frosty cloud in the air. "But lets not stand out here, not when we can build a fire inside."

"Umm you guys go ahead inside I would like to talk to Chloe out here for a moment and possibly see what iv gotten myself in for if she isn't up to the standard she says she is." Dimitri sternly glanced at me that told me instantly that if I'm not in as good shape or not capable of graduating with everyone else I was in big trouble.

Rose gave a disbelieving glance at Dimitri and then shot me a dangerous look that seemed to look like jealousy. Why would she be jealous of me when he is her teacher. He would have convocations with heaps of students wouldn't he? Unless she thinks our hug in the gym was something more than what it was and she thinks we are going to go make out behind a bush…. Eww he's practically my brother.

Dimitri led me off a little way into the forest I glad of that I didn't want Rose judging me on my first day. Wether I wasn't good enough to graduate or more advanced that everyone else which was more the case. Unfortunately I didn't know how I was going to get through classes without looking like a show off.

I was busy thinking about down playing my skills in class when all of a sudden Dimitri turned trying to catch me by surprise. I dodged his attack and steadied myself by the time he was ready for his next. I dodged his then spun around and attacked him by diving for his legs hoping to bring him down, the hit landed but only made him stumble, while he was off balance I swung around grabbing his arms and pulling him over after that the rest was a blur as both of our instincts kicked in as if we were fighting a real Strigoi. After about ten minutes of ducking, diving landing some blows and trying to block others I finally had him to my advantage. I'd fought 6 Strigoi at once before and killed them all. The only problem with Dimitri is that he taught me most of my moves, it was lucky I've developed some o my own in the years Haley and I have been moving from place to place trying to keep our presence hidden from local strigoi. I had his arms behind his back in a grasp he couldn't break. I used it to swing him around and have him land on his back with his arms underneath him that way he couldn't use them to attack if I jumped on him and staked him (if he was a strigoi). As his back hit the ground I pounced on him straddling his stomach, I still wasn't quite in control of my self with the adrenaline pumping and grabbed my stake out of is secret concealment in my jeans. As the stake was coming down I looked at his face he was looking straight at me with a weird mixture of pride and fear on his face. He was immobilised so he couldn't do anything about the situation he was in I suddenly realised who it was I was fighting and gained slight control over my actions. I panicked and threw the stake into the nearest tree. I jumped off him and turned my back shaking a little from the shock.

He walked up to me slowly and took me hands. I took one look at him and ripped my hands out of his. I turned and started to walk away. How could I get carried away and forget who I was fighting? I could have killed him! I would never have forgiven myself if I had done that, neither would mum ….oh well his mum, mine probably would care that much it would just add to their embarrassment in me.

"It's ok Chloe, you stopped I'm alright." he spoke quietly.

"I could have killed you Dimitri, killed you."

"But you didn't, you regained control and stopped."

"I never should have lost control that's your biggest lesson and I failed!"

"You didn't fail Chloe you did very well I can see how you have kept Haley and yourself safe all these years. You're very good at fighting and being a guardian."

"Just stop, Dimitri, I was a second away from driving that stake through your heart." I yelled pointing at the silver stake shining in the moon light sticking out of the tree trunk. I was staring at the stake, my stake, my favourite stake that I have had since Dimitri first gave to me when I was 7 after he was sure I was good enough to handle one. He was 14 and still learning new techniques himself but was top of his class and learning manoeuvrers three years ahead of his class. He relayed what he learnt to me after I dropped out of school because I didn't like it with Haley when I was 5. the stake had a purple leather handle with my name embroided in the leather with a lighter purple and unicorns carved into the silver down the blade. Dimitri walked over to the tree and pulled it out, glanced at it nodded and threw it to me. I caught it out of reflex as I was still staring at the whole in the trunk.

"Put it away we'll go back to the cabin. I suggest that you leave it in your room tomorrow before you go to class." I nodded and slipped the stake back into my jeans. It was concealed so well you would never know I was carrying it. I was still somewhat frozen so Dimitri picked me up and carried me back to the cabin. I opened the door and thawed out as the warmth hit me and I saw everyone smiling and laughing drinking hot chocolate.

"Did you win?" Christian asked with a smug look on his face as he saw me curled up in Dimitri's arms.

"I did actually, he was being a gentlemen and carried me home for my winnings."

"You look so small just like when you were little and he used to carry you around like that while you were sleeping." Tasha commented with a bright smile on her face looking at me as an aunty would her sleeping niece.

"What are you talking about she still is little. Being a Moroi you'd think she would be taller." Christian joked and started to laugh as did Tasha until they saw my face.

"Moroi?" Rose asked quizzically. "Christian she's a dhampir."

"Oh no she isn't she's"

"Christian!" I screamed cutting him off. Dimitri put me down but kept hold of me so I wouldn't do anything I would regret. Rose and Lissa were staring at me with confused faces, questioning what Christian was saying. "It's along story and I DON'T have time so tell it, I have things to do back at the academy." I shot Dimitri a look that told him not to let anyone say anything, as I turned and walked towards the door. I could feel Haley deciding to come with me and about to get up. "Stay, Haley I'm ok."


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer" I don't own anything enjoy

FOUR

I didn't have anything to do when I got back to my room I just didn't want to explain my life to Rose and Lissa, Rose especially. As my mind travelled to thinking about Rose and the strange ways she looks at me as if I was trespassing on her property. I guess I was sort of, I think before I came she was the big shot girl around. Being pretty and having the body shape and type that she has I'd say that she's the one all the guys go for. And the bond I have noticed between her and Lissa is exactly the same between Haley and me. She'd be the one that no one wants to mess with. To her I must look like an intruder. Being a female guardian is rare in itself and I wouldn't think that there would be many in the school so me, being a girl would be likely to take some of her attention anyway and new. Anything new gets lots of attention so maybe when I'm not new anymore they will shift their attention back to her. I think it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better because I haven't even had a school day yet. I only got here this afternoon. Out of all the schools I've been to in all the different countries this is the hardest start. I've been here less than 12 hours and already I think I have upset someone that I don't want as a rival.

I know nothing about her but what I have seen I think we are similar. We are both shadow-kissed with bonds to rare Moroi that can use spirit, female guardians, pretty (I don't mean to be stuck up but I'm not ugly and neither is she.) and by her reaction we both know what it's like to run a school and when another hot shot comes along it is a shock to your system. I hate stirring the water but I have to be here otherwise I can't be Haley's guardian. I think we got off on the wrong foot from the start when she walked into the gym and found me legs wrapped around Dimitri hugging like no tomorrow. As I was remembering the memory there was a soft knock at the door.

Dimitri was standing there with a sincere look on his face. He was obviously worried about me when I stormed out of the cabin. "hey." Was all I said plastering a smile on my face and trying to not remember the incident both in the cabin and the near staking.

"Are you ok? You seemed pretty worked up and angry at Christian." He was concentrating on the cabin but I knew that he wanted to make sure I was dealing with what happened before that. He knew I would have been more shaken up with nearly loosing all control than yelling at Christian for something he knows he should say anything about.

"I'm fine Dimti" I used the name I always called him when I was little and couldn't say Dimitri and it stuck with me even when I could say Dimitri. "I know you aren't really worried about how I was feeling yelling at Christian, and I know you know I wouldn't have done it if I wasn't already angry at myself for loosing my control during a training exercise."

"You can't blame yourself for loosing control you've been fighting on instinct every time you engage in contact for 6 years." What he was saying was true but the truth is I should still be able to control myself no matter what. "And I was encouraging it by trying to not be beaten by you, making you really fight like you used to."

"It's still no excuse. I'm going to train with a dummy in the morning and get my mind set right before I go up against my peers."

"That sounds like a good idea I wont be around in the morning or training Rose I'm taking Tasha Christmas shopping in Missoula tonight or today I don't know when ill be back but I'm sure Alberta will make me sleep."

"Oh ok have fun with that can you possibly get me something to give Tasha I wasn't expecting her to be here for Christmas but it makes sense she would spend Christmas with Christian I don't know why I didn't get her one."

"I'll see what I can do. Well that was pretty much what I came here to say and make sure you're alright so I'll see you sometime tomorrow."

"Yeah sure goodnight." We hugged good night and he left. I had a shower and went to bed but didn't fall asleep straight away. I kept replaying the afternoon over and over and I was excited about being here and getting my promise mark but also meeting new people and going back to an academy. I eventually fell asleep but it didn't feel like long before 6 in the morning (human afternoon) when I got up to go to the gym for some mind training.

I got to the door and I could hear voices inside. I thought Dimitri said there wasn't any training this morning? I pushed the door open and walked in out of the cold winter air. It was Rose that was there but not Dimitri. Guardian Hathaway was with Rose, but it didn't look like they were having a nice convocation most mother daughters have. Not that I would really know my real mother has seen me 3 times in my life. Janine saw me first and stoped talking. "Oh Miss …." She looked between me and Rose not knowing what she could say in front of Rose. She along with Dimitri and his family, Haley and Tasha and Christian are the only people who know about me and my life.

"Just Chloe" I supplied. She just nodded knowing I wasn't ready for Rose to know my last name or anything else just yet.

"Chloe how nice it is to see you again it's been so long, even since our last phone call it's been along time between visits." She was one of the people I called when I was in trouble or needed something urgent or even just to talk to someone who weren't Haley when we were off by ourself for years.

"Oh yeah sure just replace your daughter with another one because your first on was a disappointment!" Rose interrupted. It was obvious now what Rose was jealous of me now just because her mum spoke to me. But why Janine was young when she had Rose and just wanted Rose to have a better life, one that she couldn't give her.

"Rose I haven't replaced you with anyone! I have known Chloe for a long time and I don't see her as a daughter, just a fellow guardian keeping he charge safe from strigoi."

"Charge?! She isn't assigned to Haley, she doesn't have a promise mark she isn't even a guardian. If I was Haley I would like a better guardian than Chloe any way." Ok I knew she didn't like me much but now I'm not liking her very much if I go up against her in class ill show her how much of a guardian I am.

"Rose, watch your mouth. You might not think she is much of a guardian but she has the discipline to be one."

"Oh and of course you know how much discipline she has everyone does! Is there one guardian or Moroi out there who doesn't know who she is or has been a friend of hers for 'a long time'"

"You have no idea how lucky you are Rose that your biological mother actually registers that you are alive and exist, so don't criticize her! You could have gotten one a lot worst than her trust me on that." I would kill to have my real mum call me even if it was once every 2 or 3 years. "Umm I think I might just go I didn't mean to cause trouble I didn't think anyone was here Dimitri said"

"He said what? And how did you know he wasn't going to be here this morning training with me? Does he call you every 10 minutes?" Rose interrupted sounding frustrated and annoyed.

"I was about to tell you what he said when you interrupted. He just told me that he will be asleep this morning after last night, so I thought I would do some early training but I might leave and just run some laps or something."

"How do you know about Tasha and Dimitri leaving last night you weren't even there when they said they were going, but the early morning practice would have been a good idea, you can't just come into a final year of school and become a guardian you need to train and learn how to be one first, one year won't let you learn all of that."

"You would know that wouldn't you Rose after your stunt." Janine queried. Rose simply looked annoyed and stormed off into another room.

"Well ill leave you to it ill catch up with you later." With that I left guardian Hathaway and Rose in the gym. I was going to run some laps it always helps me clear my mind.

After a few laps I went to breakfast and grabbed and apple and some toast. I met Haley there. She was nervous about her first day and wether or not anyone nice was in her classes. I tried to comfort her but she just wouldn't relax. "Come on Haley we have changed school countless times you haven't been this nervous since we were like 11."

"I know its silly but here they know I'm a royal and it will reflect on my parents and family if I don't make a good impression."

"Haley your parents can deal with anything they love you that much. Hell they let us run around the world for 7 years! And you could never make a bad impression."

"Thanks, I guess ill relax after the first lesson."

"What is it?"

"Russian."

"Russian, you're worried about Russian. Haley we speak the language! You've lived there for 4 years!"

"I know. I guess you're right I don't really have anything to worry about. Hey there's Lissa and Christian do you think we could have breakfast with them?"

"I don't see why not. Do you think we should tell Lissa and Rose about our bond? Make sure Lissa knows you're here if she needs help?"

"Maybe later once we know them a bit more." We sat down and had breakfast with Christian and Lissa. Christian said sorry about yesterday and apart from that nothing about me was brought up.

My first day of classes. It was weird at the start. My first class was advanced guardian combat techniques. This was the class I was a little nervous about seeing as Dimitri never told me if I was good or not after our fight. I also didn't want to come across all stuck up or too advanced to be in school because I didn't want everyone to worship me like I'm a god because I'm not. I also didn't want them to see how many molnija marks I had. I didn't want to come in all boasting about how good I am or show off. I wore my hair in a pony tail but wore a scarf. Reasonable I thought its winter I'm aloud to be cold. I was wearing blue jeans and a hoody.

I had expected Rose to be in the first classes in the morning because they were all the dhampir classes and I had been put in the ones for my age first so they could see how much I knew but when the message got to us that she had been injured in training this morning, I couldn't help but giggle to myself as I thought of this morning's argument. I must say though I don't really appreciate my mother neglecting me either but my mum wasn't in the same situation as Janine when she had me.

When I first walked into the gym it was really the first time anyone had seen me because I snuck in to breakfast without being detected and the other day in the commons only the people who were there at the time saw me. It was awkward. I walked in and everyone shut up and turned around and stared at me. Some guys I could see from previous experience had that drooling look going. "Take a photo its lasts longer and isn't likely to kick your arse into next week if you touch it!" I said jokingly to them as I walked in.

"Why do all the hot ones have to have a snappy attitude?" A guy with red hair and freckles asked in wonder.

"I dunno but I don't think we need another Rose around here." Added the guy standing next to him.

"Hey I feel sorry for this girl if Rose finds out she has competition this girl will be as useful as an electric light in a black out."

"Hey is it true you haven't been to an academy since you were 6?" How much did they know about me?

"As true as strigoi love Moroi blood." I replied dryly

"Fuck Rose is gunna eat you for breakfast."

"Miss Chloe I take it." The guardian that must be our teacher walked up to me.

"yeah, that's me." I said with a sigh. The adult guardian just grunted and moved off splitting everyone into pairs and ordering them to practice some different manoeuvres.

"I guess you're with me." The guy with red hair came over to me. "I'm normally Rose's partner but seeing as she isn't here you'll have to do." His guy had a cocky attitude but a nice face.

"I guess I will." I replied sarcastically. "So what do we do first partner?" I asked.

"Well I wanna see if you have any skills what-so-ever seeing you wouldn't have learnt much when you were 6. So just try your best not to break anything."

"Don't hold back, I won't." He just laughed and did a basic lunge straight for me. I easily grabbed an arm and flung him around throwing him on the floor. "I said don't hold back." He grunted and got up. The next time he actually tried. I think he thought that just because I was a drop out I knew nothing. The rest of the class ended up just standing around watching us. I felt like I was being studied and was relieved when the bell went and class was over. So they aren't that bad, the novices they still have a long way to go though if they want to be quick enough to kill strigoi.

The rest of the day went easily. I found that I knew almost everything and didn't need much catch up. I still hadn't seen Rose since this morning so what ever guardian Hathaway did to her must have hurt a lot of was pretty embarrassing. I decided to have an early night and start to pack my bags for the ski trip that I found out about today off Mason after class today. I can't say I was really looking forward to going on it because all the royals will me there meaning so will my family. If I stayed out on the slopes all day and in my room otherwise I hopefully won't run into them often and won't have to talk to them. Good thing I like snow and skiing then.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Sorry for the few days between chapter iv been flat out for a few days and didn't have the time. Enjoy!

FIVE

I woke up late the next morning, well late seeing as I wanted to work out. I pulled my hair back into a pony tail and put on some track pants, purple scarf and a hoody before making my way to the gym. No one was there awesome Rose and Dimitri must have finished their training session. Maybe it is later than I thought. I wanted to practice some kicks so I walked to the room with the dummies in it. Unfortunately the room didn't only have dummies in it.

Rose and Dimitri were up against the wall. It looks like I just walked in on a make out session. Dimitri saw me first and jump back. He didn't need to I was already out the door and leaning against my own wall for support I was laughing that hard. Looks like I will be running laps after all.

I started running around the track I was still laughing and if I tried to stop I would just choke on the laugh and that would make me start all over again. I realised how stupid this would look to anyone passing by. Me running around with the biggest grin on my face and laughing at seemingly nothing. Once I could control my laughs I could actually think of what I just saw. It made sense now why Rose has hated me ever since she saw me hugging Dimitri on the first day I arrived. And it also made me think of the night I fought with Dimitri, he had told me it was alright that I lost control as long as I regained it again. He had just lost his control with a student and he knows it. That's why he wanted me to accept that I had lost control. I'm sure it would have been completely different if he wasn't seeing Rose. I couldn't believe it, 1) he never looses control unless he wants to. Well until now. 2) She is a student and 7 years younger. 3) He told me I could loose control every now and again as long as I get it back and 4) He hasn't had a girlfriend since he was 21!

At breakfast Rose wouldn't even look at me and I couldn't stop smiling when I saw her. I knew I was acting like a 12 year old but hey it was funny. Haley, Lissa and Christian acted like I wasn't grinning like the Cheshire cat and ate breakfast. Lissa was worried about Roses black eye though. Guardian Hathaway did get her good.

I didn't know who I was going to be paired up with today in class because Rose was back and she was normally Mason's partner, but I didn't need to worry because today we were having one on one fights while the rest of the class observed. Dimitri was among the few guardians that look on with the classes.

I of course go paired with Rose when it was our turn. We started out with basic moves and gradually got more into it. Rose was doing well she had landed a few hits on me and hadn't said a word. Until now, "Why do you always where a scarf it's not that cold in here and you're just giving yourself a hand hold for strigoi to choke you." She scowled.

"I just find it comfortable and couldn't be bothered to take it off and put it on." That wasn't the real reason I had it on but it was a logical one.

"Well here let me help you, ill take it off or make like a strigoi and choke you." The rest of the class tensed a little but I remained calm. I know I do the scarf up in a way that as soon as you pull it, it comes undone no matter what. I'm not stupid enough to let a strigoi choke me. With that she faked one way then the next I expected her to go back the other way but she didn't and spin around me grabbing my scarf and ripping it off. I quickly pulled my hood over my head and turned towards her. "Is your neck that precious that it has to be covered at al times. I know what its like out in the real world sweaty, strigoi aren't every where waiting to bite your neck and honestly I don't think one would go after yours anyway." She had a fake caring ace on but a bitchy voice.

"Just shut up and get on with it we wouldn't want you to get another black eye now would we?" I replied getting annoyed at her comments. No wonder Janine got the shits with her. We kept fighting for another 5 minutes not a word until she managed to grab me and undid the zipper of my hoody and ripped it off me. With the force of the hoody being ripped off and my arms going with the fabric until the sleeves ended I landed on my knees. I was just quick enough to put my hands out so I didn't land on my face. My hair swing around until it was in front of my shoulder. Leaving my neck fully exposed.

The whole class gasped at what they saw. I got up and turned around flicking my hair back to cover my neck. They were all just staring at me wide eyed. Rose actually looked sorry like she understood why I had covered them up. My 32 Molnija marks and one major battle star. "Can I have my jumper back please?" I said so quietly that no one would have heard if they weren't all still and quiet starting at me, some as if I was a goddess others as if I had grown a third arm and couldn't believe it. Rose just handed me the hoody I hastily put it on and flipped the hood up.

I turned to go into the locker room when Madison I think her name was asked "Why would you hide something as awesome as that from us?" she said it in awe as if I had won $10 million and didn't tell anyone.

"Because not all marks are marks of pride." Rose stated in a sad sorry voice. I spun around looking straight at her. How could she possibly know. She hasn't experience killing anybody, just the other day in class people told me she was rude to her mum paying her out that she was only a guardian to get the marks. It took most guardians years to learn that not everyone appreciated the marks and that's I they ever did. I think this is the first time Rose had said anything nice to me or even looked at me with understanding. She broke our eye contact and walked over to pick up my scarf. I thanked her as she handed me and she turned to look at someone else. I followed her gaze. Dimitri, he looked proud of her but as he looked at me he was shocked. I guess the last time he saw me I didn't have as many marks.

The rest of the day consisted of people coming up to me asking to see the marks and how many were there and how did I kill them all when I'm only 17 and un promised. I wouldn't answer any of them I just ignored them and kept walking to where I wanted to go. The church. I don't know what or why but I just feel relaxed in a church. Wether it's the smell or the quiet I'm not sure. I walked in and up the isle. I knelt at the alter closed my eyes just breathing. Wishing that it wasn't today that everyone found out and they had gotten to know me for a few weeks and not my marks because now I'm going to be the girl that has killed heaps of strigoi and is so totally awesome instead of me. Chloe. At least my life is still somewhat a secret but I don't know how long for seeing at Christmas my real family is going to be there not my preferred adopted family. The Belikov's.

I was deep in thought when the door opened. I didn't want to know who it was so I stayed in my position. On my knees. It was two people by the sounds of the feet coming up the isle. "Chloe…" The voice of my much loved older adoptive brother floated down to me and snapped my eyes open. I stood up and turned to hug him. I couldn't hold back the tears any longer and I did something I rarely did anymore unless I was watching a movie. I cried. I smuggled my head into his hard chest and cried. He just held me like he always used to until I could control my sobs and calmed down. I wasn't crying because everyone knew about my marks. I was crying because those marks are symbolising the people I have killed. "I'm sorry Chloe if I had any idea of the real reason you covered up and that it meant this much to you I never would have done it." Rose sounded sorry and sincere

"It's okay Rose how were you supposed to know when I didn't tell any one." I offered but was still sniffling a little bit. I lent over and hugged her to. "Thank you for telling everyone that not all marks are marks of pride they won't have a clue what it means now but hopefully one day they will see and understand it. Yes the marks mark that you have killed an evil creature but once upon a time that evil creature was a human, dhampir or moroi. They would have gone to school or an academy like this, had friends, a family everything and been and innocent person trapped on this place like the rest of us. Most strigoi were changed against their will anyway! It's hardest when someone worships you for your marks because they don't understand. I try to think of them as freeing an innocent person from an evil body but it's hard to kill even evil things." After that little speech they were both quiet in their own little minds Dimitri I knew would have been thinking of his kills and I know they still bother him. But Rose I had no clue what was going through her mind.

"Umm…" she started but looked like she didn't know what to say or how to say it. I had a feeling what she was trying to ask.

"32" I said. She just nodded and went back to thinking. She was the first person all day I answered anything about my marks to. It felt good to finally tell someone something and for them to understand. "Haley had a thing for major cities." I joked

"And she knew I got annoying if I was bored so she wanted to keep me busy." I continued Rose smiled and Dimitri just shook his head with a slight smile but his eyes showed more that he found it hilarious.

"Rose wont be having any more training sessions this close to the holidays so the gym is all yours." Dimitri said sternly with his guardian mask firmly in place." I had completely forgotten about Christmas today and just remembered that Dimitri had all my presents for people.

"Oh yeah… can I please have those things you bought for me the other day while you were in town?" I asked sweetly so Rose hopefully wouldn't catch on. He just smiled and said "They are already wrapped ill bring them when they are ready." And with that he turned and left. Rose stayed for a little while like she wanted to ask something but thought better of it and left not long after. It was getting late and I was tired emotionally and physically so I left to. Hopefully at dinner there would be the awkward silence or stares that Rose and I have been giving and receiving since I came.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: as usual I don't own anything. Please review I don't have any yet and I have no idea if you guys hate it or love it?

SIX

Christmas morning came and we were all going over to a parlour in the academy's gest quarters. I didn't feel like really dressing up so I just wore my usual jeans and a tank top with a nice hoody that was descent enough to pass as smart casual. Dimitri was meeting Haley and me at my dorm and he was going to walk us over. We hadn't spent a Christmas together since Dimitri was 20 because after that his charge never let him home for Christmas and he was at the academy every other year.

I had to call home to speak to one person in particular. Yeva answered the phone and as soon as she heard my voice passed the phone to Lorraine. Lorraine was 2 soon to be 3 on March 14. She knew who was on the phone as soon as Yeva handed it to her and didn't even give me a chance to say hello before she was telling me everything that she had gotten for Christmas and what Santa had left her and what everyone else had gotten.

Haley had walk into my dorm halfway through. She knew I was talking to home and gave me the signal that once I was done she to wanted to speak to every one and wish them merry Christmas.

Lorraine finally rang out of things to say and got so excited she handed the phone on to Viktoria before I could get a word out to her. The conversations with everyone else from then on didn't last long because the rest of the neighbours were coming over for lunch and they had to get ready. I handed the phone to Haley and went to finish off my hair. I had put half of it up and left the other half down around my shoulders. I walked out of the bathroom to find Haley just about finished with the phone saying her last goodbyes and Merry Christmas' Dimitri walked in and snapped the phone before they hung up. Wow my phone bill was going to be huge.

Half an hour later Dimitri finished up. We were late, very late but we had an excuse and they would understand that it was all Dimitri's fault. We were all stuck in Russian mode from talking to home and it was the only language I had spoken in that day, probably Haley's as well. As we were walking to the guest quarters I lagged back a bit. I wanted to have a bit of fun before we got there and I really hadn't seen much of Dimitri since I came and none of him for 3 years before that. So I walked silently behind him then pounced on his back and covered his eyes. I told him to keep walking and if he trusted me I was going to take him to the guest quarters just by telling him which way to turn. Chances were he already knew the way there anyway and would know as soon as I went to direct him off course or if we were coming close to something her could run into. Haley thought we were idiots and walked ahead of us going to the room. She probably didn't want to be apart of stares people were giving us. I guess they didn't often see a student on a guardians shoulders directing him where to go in Russian. Hell it was Christmas they weren't really on duty anyway.

As I directed Dimitri up the stairs I heard Haley tell everyone that we were coming just slowly. We made it to the top of the stairs and I directed Dimitri to go forward a few more steps then stop and let me duck to go through the door because he is 6'7 by himself them I'm on his shoulders if he just kept walking I'd get taken out but the door jam. But he didn't listen and thought it would be funny if he just kept walking. He was holding my legs so I knew I would fall so I let go of his eyes and swung around backwards so I was dangling behind him. I put one hand or each thigh and looked up at him between his legs. "not funny" I yelled at him and let go of his thighs and swung back up to I was sitting on his shoulders again. Thank god I have strong abs. I covered his eyes again and directed him where to go and told him to "sit" when he reached his spot. He complied and I got down and went back around to my seat between Haley and Mason. Rose was looking between Dimitri and me glaring at Dimitri and shooting jealous looks at me.

Damn whatever progress we made the other day in the church I think I just undid it all. "So Dimka you finally made it." Tasha said in a light tone looking between us. Dimitri replied in Russian and didn't realise that only Haley and I understood a word he said. Every one started laughing except Dimitri he was still wondering what the joke was about.

"Speak English Dimti, not every one can speak Russian even though we have spent all morning speaking it." I said using my nickname for him. From then on he spoke English as we all engaged in different conversations over breakfast.

Everyone's conversations started to die and then came to a complete stop as Dimitri called out "Five? I hadn't heard that." I wasn't listening to their convocation earlier and had no idea what they were going on about. I looked over at Tasha and she was nodding with excitement. She sorta looked like one of the bobbing headed dogs people put in the back window of their cars.

"It's insane. I swear, I don't think his wife's had more than six months off between kids. She's short, too so she just gets wider and wider." They were discussing one of their friends obviously having kids. That's a bit of a weird convocation I was thinking. But if this guy is both of their friends than of course this is something major in his life I suppose you would discuss it.

"When I first met him, he swore he didn't even want kids." Dimitri laughed.

Tasha eyes widened even more if that was possible. "I know! I can't believe it. You should see him now. He just melts around them. I can't even understand him half the time. I swear he speaks more baby talk than English."

Dimitri smiled his genuine happy smile. "Well…Children do that to people."

"I can't imagine that happening to you," Tasha laughed. "You're always so stoic. Of course…I suppose you'd be doing baby talk in Russian, so no one would ever know." They both laughed. What another weird thing to say. I can't help but think of the underlying implications in her words. He also definitely was not stoic. He was passionate about his family and being a guardian and I bet if he had kids he would play with them and coddle them but why would Tasha even say something like that?

Rose and Mason started to talk again along with Christian and Lissa. I don't know what happened between them but they seem to be closer than before. Maybe just because it was Christmas. It was time to dish out the presents and I looked questionly at Dimitri. He had all my presents somewhere and I know he didn't bring them with him because he carried me not them. He just nodded and pulled out a bag from a corner. I hope they all like what ever he got because I don't have a clue what he got them or how much he spent. I just gave him my credit card and off he went. They started to unwrap them and I probably seemed a little but to enthusiastic for them to open them but I really wanted to know what they got.

I gave Tasha a really nice silver bracelet with sapphires around the band. She loved it I saw Dimitri sigh with relief. That sigh matched my own. I got Lissa an energy stone that actually worked you could feel the energy coming from it when you touched it. From me Rose got a very, very nice black strapless dress that twisted and crumpled in all the right places. I couldn't help like sneak a look at Dimitri wondering why he had bought it but then I remembered the gym and figured that's why. I knew what I got Haley and Dimitri because I bought them myself. I gave Haley hers and was rewarded with the look on her face when the opened up her hot pink box. Inside it was a hot pink dress and clutch bag to match. She squealed and hugged me excitedly. The dress was flowy and had padding for her boobs so they looked bigger and being a Moroi she didn't have any. I gave Dimitri his last he glanced at me warily before opening it. I remembered the last time I gave him a present the first one was a joke and a doll with and ugly scary face jumped out with a puff of blue smoke and scared him and left behind a blue dusting over his face that wouldn't come off. I nodded and he began opening it. Inside the paper was a box. He glanced at me again and I just laughed. He slowly peeked inside not wanting to have the same trick happen to him. Nothing happened so he opened the box right up. Inside was a stake. Yes a stake I know he has heaps but this was different. On the handle was his name embroided in the leather just like the one he gave me when I was 7. But on the blade was a dragon. I knew he loved dragons. And where the dragon was engraved into the blade was laced with gold. The dragon's eye was a ruby. He gently lifted it out of the box into the light. The light from the room reflected off the blade and danced around the room. The stake was shining as if it was pure light.

"Light to fight off dark creatures." I murmured. He just looked at me. His eyes shining nearly as much as the stake in his hand. "thankyou." He mouthed as if the words couldn't form on his lips. We were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Janine!" Tasha greeted. Guardian Hathaway stood there looking stiff and impassive.

"Sorry I'm late; I had business to take care off." Even on Christmas Janine still worked. She sat down and joined in, in the conversation about a fight she had been in. on Christmas she still talked about death and fighting. I had heard most of her stories so I wasn't really listening but Mason was riveted but every word she said. I started to pack away the gifts I had been given. The Purple on strap cocktail dress I had been given was gorgeous, the jewellery and other pieces of clothing.

I noticed Rose was watching her mother but I wouldn't say she was hanging on every word. Janine was going on about decapitations and the best weapon to use. Mason looked like he was about to take out a note book and start taking notes. Haley and Lissa looked grossed out and I could feel Haley's nausea coming through the bond. It made me grin. She had seen me fight strigoi before but I don't think any of the ones she's seen have been gross.

The congregation started to disperse. First it was Lissa and Christian. I have them both a last hug before they left. Mason and Rose were headed back to the novice dorms and Janine left. I don't know what she was going to do but she left, she probably had 'business' to do. That left Haley, Tasha, Dimitri and me.

We started out just doing more catch up talk, mainly about us and Tasha. Dimitri didn't say much he just said he was here. It was then that the conversation turned in an entirely different direction.

"So since I don't have a guardian and I realised how much more comfortable I feel when Dimitri was with me when we went shopping I've asked him to be my guardian!" Tasha squealed while Dimitri just smiled.

"That's awesome, I'm sure Dimitri would love to have a charge again rather than guarding this shitty old place which a bunch of hormonal teens running around." I exclaimed excited for Dimitri. He hasn't had a charge for a few years now and he liked having one. "Especially you being his charge you guys get along so well it wouldn't even be like a guardian/charge relationship."

"That's exactly what we were thinking. We might even find out if Dimitri does go soft for kids and talk to them in Russian so nobody knows what he is saying." When she said that I'm sure I saw Dimitri's smile falter just a little before he plastered it back into place. I'm sure my own expression fell slightly at that. So that's why she was talking about kids earlier.

"Awww that's so awesome I can't believe it Chloe we could be aunties!" Haley practically screamed. She was so excited she ran over to Tasha and hugged her tightly.

"Of course Dimitri would have to agree to be my guardian first." Tasha explained. My feeling towards Tasha were normally happy and friendly towards her but they changed slightly at that. She was trying to manipulate him to say yes but having us here when she practically asked him straight out then. And by having us know if he says no or not because she has told us. She was trying to make him agree so he wouldn't feel he let us down by not taking her offer and ultimately let Haley down. Both of them knew how much she loved kids. We all know she treats Lorraine as her own.

I wonder if Tasha knows Dimitri has a thing for Rose and looked rather serious about it. More serious that when he was with Maria.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Sorry for not updating yesterday council is working on my road and accidentally cut the phone line!!!!!! So I gave you 2 chapters 2day enjoy.

SEVEN

On the 26th we left on one of the academy's private jets to head to the ski resort. I hadn't been on a private jet before and never seen the academy's but I had heard that they were good with lots of leg room and cushy seats. I was glad for this ski trip hopefully it would get my mind off my changing attitude towards Tasha. And the fact that we are going here because of strigoi attacks.

Haley and I boarded one of the jets and found seats next to each other. She was so excited about going. We hadn't been to the snow in a few years because every time its in season something comes up that we had to do, but that's what happens when you go to human schools and have homework or functions over Christmas.

"Are you going to snow board or ski while we are away?!" she asked excitedly almost bouncing in her seat.

"Both Haley we are there for a few days." I said calmly trying to calm her down. When she got excited like this she often used her powers and didn't realise it and she wasn't ready for every one to know she was a spirit user. When Lissa had asked I was curious to know what she was going to say because even though she had a low control over all of them air was probably the easiest to get away with faking. She surprised me and said water. She even demonstrated with her glass of water at the time pulling the water up in little drops and letting them fall back into her glass. Lissa looked disappointed at the time but said the trick was cool anyway. We had been keeping our bond work limited to when no one else was around or to obvious things like knowing where she was because she told me sort of things. There were two reasons for not telling. 1) Haley didn't want everyone to know she was a spirit user and 2) it wasn't our or my story to tell them how the bond was created. Mainly because I don't remember anything of it just waking up and feeling Haley's emotions and Dimitri felt he was to blame for our bond being created in the first place and he still punishes himself with that thought even though we tell him it's the best thing that has happened to us.

"Oh this is sooo exciting we are on a private jet and going to the snow for a holiday and we don't even have to pay!" Haley was babbling in her seat mainly to herself because I wasn't really listening as I saw Rose walk onto the plane, look at Lissa and Christian smiled slightly and walked straight past Dimitri and down the isle to Mason. That was strange wouldn't she usually say hi to him and Tasha. I thought she liked Tasha, and she wasn't there when Tasha told us what she was planning. After 3 minutes of thought Haley finally decided she needed a response from me that wasn't a yes or no answer.

"Soooo aren't you as excited as me about this trip or are you just going to go into boring 'I've got lots to think about and you need to be procteded.' Guardian on me." She asked imitating my voice very poorly.

"No I'm clearly not as excited because I'm not about to jump out the plane window." I giggled "And we've been to the snow heaps of times and since when did you care about spending your parents' money? But I won't go into guardian mode there will be heaps of guardians there and wards to protect you so you can leave my sight and go do what ever the hell pleases you if you wish." I stated. The words sounded harsh but the grin on my face and the tone of my voice told her it was true and didn't mean to sound as harsh as it did.

When we landed we saw where we were staying and I have to admit it was a place of luxury. The mountains were gorgeous. One side was for skiing with lifts, tow ropes, moguls, really steep slopes, while the other side had and ice rink and smoother hills for tobogganing. The resort itself was amazing. It was built like a log cabin but bigger. A lot bigger. Big enough to hold hundreds of people and have luxury accommodation. It was 3 stories made out of a gorgeous gleaming gold wood and sat among some pine trees. The windows were tall and graceful, and tinted for the Moroi. There were crystal lanterns shaped like torches that hung around all the entrances finishing the mystical look and adding character and beauty to the building.

Inside it was laid out for Moroi comfort. Feeders were on hand 24 hours a day. The slopes ran on a nocturnal schedule. There were guards patrolling the entire place and wards to make sure strigoi don't get in. Yep everything a Moroi could need was right here.

The main lobby had a really, really high roof with a chandelier hanging from the centre. It reminded me of a cathedral in its beauty. The floor was tiled marble, and the front desk ran 24 hours a day as well ready to help with any need we may have. The rest of the lodge, hallways and lounges, had a red, black, and gold colour scheme. The red was very deep and reminded me of blood. I couldn't help but wonder why seeing as Moroi only drink it to survive not really because they really, really want it like strigoi. There were mirrors, painting, ornamental tables and cupboard placed here and there. There was a spicy scent that I noticed was coming from the pale green and purple spotted orchids in vases that were scattered around the room.

I was sharing a room with Haley and when we got there the room was massive. It was bigger than any motel room we had been in before and a lot more luxurious. There were king sized beds with thick duvet's and pillows. My god there were a lot of pillows on those beds. The plush carpet made you feel as though you were walking on a cloud. I could quite happily be trapped in this room with no escape. There were French doors that opened up to a large balcony that over saw the mountains. The view was amazing even if it was cold. Who cares we have jackets we could still enjoy it. I was out on the balcony when I heard Haley squeal at something in the bathroom. I went in to see what she was clapping her hands at. There was a two person hot tub. Ooh that would be nice to soak in after a day on the slopes.

I couldn't believe the room. Plasma tv, hot tub, balcony, beds, carpet, chocolate, and a bar fridge. I seriously was thinking that we had died and gone to heaven.

I finally was able to drag Haley out of the room to go outside and go skiing. Well she decided to go skiing I was going to start with snow boarding because everyone else was skiing and I liked it better anyway. Besides the best way to appreciate that room would be to get cold and active outside. And hey its Christmas time lets have some fun.

We had fun on the slopes, more fun than I have had in a long time actually. Considering I was hardly ever around other dhampir and had to always keep at least on eye on our surroundings this was amazing to just be able to relax and have fun with friends.

Lissa and Haley were getting along great and Rose was actually laughing with us and wasn't looking so sour or hateful. And I don't think that I got a nasty glare all day from her. As the day went on the Moroi were getting tired and having trouble keeping up with the stunts that we were doing down the slopes. Rose and Mason had a competition thing going on that to me looked like who could snap themselves first but I went along with it anyway, and it was fun watching them bag each other out if on slipped up.

"You guys are suicidal," Christian remarked shaking his head and looking unimpressed at the rate Mason Rose and I were going down the moguls. I thought it was rather hard for me to snow board down them at first but eventually found a grove that worked. Rose and Mason were on ski's so it was easier for them and thought on a snow board I would never be able to keep up with them. Truth was I ended up going faster because the more speed I had the board jumped instead of staying on the snow so I ended up at the bottom first.

Mason grinned as we made it to the end. "Nah, this is just a warm-up. I mean these two have been able to keep up with me the whole time. Kid stuff."

Lissa shook her head. "Aren't you guys taking this too far?"

We all looked at each other. "No." we all said together.

She shook her head again. "Well, we're going inside. Try not to kill yourselves." The Moroi left Christian clinging onto Lissa's arm and Lissa and Haley chatting away.

"I'm good for a while longer. You?" Rose turned addressing us.

"Absolutely." Mason replied.

"Posotutely." I said.

We all took the lift back up the hill and were just about to head back down when Mason pointed.

"Okay, how about this? Hit those moguls there, then jump over that ridge, swing back with a hairpin turn, dodge those trees, land there."

Rose and I were watching his finger point out the route. We both accessed the risks and frowned. "that one is really insane, Mase." Rose said glumly.

"Ah," he said triumphantly. "She finally cracks."

Rose glowered. "she does not." After looking at the crazy route again she finally said. "Okay, lets do it."

He gestured to the route. "You first." And down she went. Mason and I were watching anxiously from the top. Leaning with every move she made as if we could help balance her. When we made it safely to the bottom and turned towards us we cheered and shouted even though I doubt she could hear us.

"Ladies first" Mason pointed suggesting I go next. I just shrugged and pushed off. I thought this would be easier on a snow board than ski's but the coarse was still pretty tight. I made the jump and landed, and only just managed to doge the trees as there was thick soft snow that tried to bog my board. I met Rose at the bottom and waited for Mason to come down the same track. But he didn't make it. Over the jump his ski's crossed and his legs twisted. As he landed he rolled down and down and down.

Rose and I reached him about the same time one of the resort staff did. To our relief Mason hadn't broken his neck, or anything else thankfully but did have quite a nasty sprain on his ankle. That was going to be a bummer for the rest of the trip.

One of the people monitoring the slopes came rushing over, looking rather furious. "What were you kids thinking?" she exclaimed. She turned to Rose. "I couldn't believe it when I saw you do those crazy stunts!" then she turned to me. "And then you followed after her." Then last Mason. "Then you had to go ahead and try and copy them!"

I was thinking that it was Mason's route to start with but then we never should have done it in the first place. I guess we all had been caught up in the moment and adrenaline was rushing to our heads blocking out reason. But as we were walking back to the resort I was thinking about what could have happened and what we would have done if one of us had been seriously hurt. I could just imagine Dimitri's face and disappointment in me. The school not letting me graduate because I was too reckless and didn't have enough self discipline to be Haley's guardian. My world could have came crashing down around me in a matter of minutes if some worse had happened. What if I was the one that got seriously injured and would walk anymore. I suppose Haley could heal me but what would that prove, that I wasn't forward thinking enough to avoid getting hurt.

Once Mason was safely inside Rose and I went to take our equipment to the storage buildings. Rose was deep in thought probably thinking the same thing as me. We didn't talk on the way there or back. We just walked in silence carrying our gear, as we walked back up the steps, kicking the snow off our boots. A thick spicy but sweet scent , hung in the air around us. I was trying to work out what it was and where it came from because it wasn't there a few minutes ago when a voice spoke out of the shadows. "Hey, Little dhampir, little sis." We both jumped and looked around before realising someone was on the porch.

The scent, clove cigarettes belonged to a guy a Moroi. He was leaning against the wall not far from the door. He had another puff on his cigarette before dropping it and stomping it out. He smiled at us, it was crooked. Rose looked wary and stopped crossing her arms, taking him in. she obviously didn't know who he was. He was about 6'4 I suppose and was wearing a long charcoal coat that was probably made out of expensive cashmere wool - I could imagine him wearing anything cheap- that was made to fit his body. He had leather dress shoes that looked rather expensive. Brown hair that was messed up purposely, and green eyes. You couldn't tell from the light but I knew.

"Yeah?" Rose asked. I still hadn't said a word and I wasn't going to unless I absolutely had to.

His eyes turned to Rose and swept over her body in a very obvious way. Gross, his reputation proceeds him. He just shrugged off Roses attitude. "Just saying hi, that's all." No one said anything so I went to walk off. "What, your not even going to say hello?" he asked me.

"Lord Ivashkov." I nodded and kept walking I did not want to stand around talking to him. I knew Rose could look after herself but could stop my disgust as he started small talk with her after she tried to leave with me.

"You smell good, you know," was all I heard him say but that was enough. Gross what was pick up line doesn't he have any better ones.

What was with him calling me "sis" Anyway. He doesn't even know me. God he's such a jerk, and now he knows that I'm heard and he will try and find me again.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own anything so yeah.

Author's note: sorry it took so long to update but I sorta lost motivation because I haven't had any reviews or anything.

EIGHT

I was standing at the top of the mountains watching Rose and Mason ski down a really steep mountain slope. They were picking up way to much speed and were flying down the mountain side. "No, stop slow down!" I screamed at them but they didn't hear me or Mason didn't al least because he just kept picking up more speed and stayed skiing down the mountain side, until a small mound got in his way and crossed his skis. He started to tumble faster and faster until he was bouncing down the steep slope. "Mason!" I kept screaming as I was running towards him. It was no hope by the time I had gotten to where he had came to a stop he was in a twisted ball. His neck had been broken. The scene around me started to shift. Where there once were snowy mountains is now a room, a lounge room. There are guardians running around the house and there is someone weeping off to the left of me. I'm still kneeling beside Mason's body. I turn to my left. Rose is there sobbing in Dimitri's arms. I turn back to Mason and am about to break down and start crying and screaming and pounding everything that gets in my way when once again the scene shifts. Ok this has to be a dream because now I'm at the royal court. I was sitting on a bench in a grassy courtyard. The mood is light and peaceful. The complete opposite of what I felt a few minutes ago.

"Chlo-bug" a voice comes from behind me. I turned to find Adrian is standing behind me.

"Umm, Hi" I say casually not knowing why I'm dreaming of him since I never have before. I have never ever dreamed of my real family.

"Oh, so you don't always have an attitude towards everyone?"

"I only have an attitude to people who think they are above everyone else." I stated flatly. He just gave a masculine grunt and walked around so he was in front of me but facing the same way as me staring at the water feature in the middle or the courtyard.

"I spoke to Rose last night after you rudely ignored me. We had a nice chat until she got tired and went to bed." Oh great this was one of those guilty conscience dreams where your conscience makes you feel bad so you will go and apologize the next day. I just sighed. "You two seem alike in a way."

"Oh what would you know you have met me 3 times including yesterday."

"True, but lets just say I have good judgment on people. Their aurora give them away a lot." He said matter-of-factly.

"My, aurora? But how can you see that…" I trailed off coming to the conclusion that he has to be a spirit user as well. He turned and gave me a smug grin. The courtyard began to fade and I jerked awake sitting straight up. Haley was standing next to my bed looking frustrated and annoyed at me. "What?" I asked innocently. She just shook her head and pointed at the clock, 10:12. "Shit." I cussed jumping out of bed and throwing on the first clothes that I came to on the top or my suitcase. Which was an old holey t-shirt and some mini shorts. I pulled my hair back in an unbrushed pony tail and sprinted for the door. I had to get to the dining room before all the breakfast was gone if it wasn't already all gone. I pasted a few people on the way but didn't stop to see who they were or the looks on their faces in my unorganised state. I got to the dining room and all they had left was some peach marzipan scones. Gross I hate marzipan. I politely refused and started to head back to my room. I'm sure Haley wouldn't mind manifesting some pancakes for me. But then I remembered the look on her face as she woke me up this morning and thought I had no chance she would help me. I was going to be late for her luncheon thing.

I ran into Rose, Mason, Christian and Lissa on my way back. None of them looked very happy and I heard why as I came into ear shot.

"Is it true you were hanging out with Adrian Ivashkov?" Mason was asking looking straight at Rose with piercing eyes.

"I- what?" Rose was caught off guard and didn't know how to respond.

"I heard you guys got drunk last night."

"You did?" Lissa sounded upset and startled.

Rose looked between them before replying. "No, of course not! I barely know him."

"But you do know him." Mason pressed.

"Barely." Rose confirmed.

"He's got a bad reputation." Lissa said warningly.

"Yeah, he goes through a lot of girls." Christian joined in. I felt sorry for her they were all interrogating her as if she had done something horribly illegal.

"Will you guys lay off? I talked to him for, like, five minutes! And that's only because he was blocking my way inside. Where are you getting all this? Mia."

She was getting flustered and her friends were starting to look like they were going to believe her but still needed an explanation.

"She didn't get drunk with him." I stated and they all turned to me. "She only spoke to him for a little while and then she went straight to bed." They all looked at me shocked. I don't know if it was because they didn't know I was their or because they thought Rose and I were still fighting with each other for rule of the school. I don't even know if that was the whole truth because after all I was going off a dream, a very strange dream. Actually now that I think about it that was a really stupid thing to say. It was a dream of Adrian. I didn't actually talk to him. Which means he isn't a spirit user that was just my brain playing tricks on me.

An awkward silence fell upon us as we stood there thinking. Christian broke the awkward silence though. "I suppose there's no skiing today, huh?" he said as he pointed to Masons ankle. Mason replied with something sounding defensive but I was mesmerised by what Christian said. There was something pulling at my brain but I couldn't think what it was. I shrugged it off thinking it was nothing when the conversation caught my attention again when Lissa mentioned the word "Conta".

"Well, You have to go." Christian groaned.

"It won't be that bad Chris I've been to a few you just sit there and answer when you need to and drink plenty of martini's and its over before you know it." I assured him. He just gave me a smile. Lissa was about to say something else but I butted in. "Well I'd better go and get ready Haley was grumpy enough with me waking up late and I've got to get dressed and help set up I'll see you two at the luncheon then." And with that I was off I'm sure that they were looking at what I was wearing as I ran off but I didn't care about that I was worried about the serving Haley was going to give me.

I ran into the room and ran straight to the bathroom I wasn't ready to face Haley and if she knew I was getting ready now she might not be as angry. "CHLOE!" or not.

"Yes?" I answered or more squeaked.

"Hurry up and get ready my family is running this we have to help set up." Her family, she has to help set up. Not me my family is in Russia and not royal. That's what I wanted to say but I held my tongue. I didn't want to start a fight now.

I had a quick shower or as quick as I could be while washing my hair and shaving my legs. Before reluctantly turning off the soothing warm water, jumping out and wrapping my towel around me and another one around my hair. I went out to my wardrobe to get the dress I was going to wear to the luncheon. It was a casual dress but could be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. It was a black strapless cocktail dress that came to mid thigh with pale bright pink flowers across it. There was tulle under the skirt to make it puff out a bit. I laid the dress down on the bed and got out a black strapless bra and black boy short underwear. Even though Haley wasn't in the room I still went in the bathroom to change and dry my hair while I was there. I left it with its natural wave and pinned the front of it back so it would stay out of my eyes. Normally I would put all of it up in case of strigoi attack but we were pretty well protected here. I put on a little bit of make up to make my eyes and lips stand out and left the room to go to the hall where the luncheon was being held.

As it turns out I wasn't late, well not by my standards anyway. By Haley's yes I was because the guests were going to be here in 15 minutes. I greeted the Conata's that were there. They all knew me, some didn't like me though because they thought I was taking Haley out of school and she would never learn anything in a human school and she was too unprotected. Others in the Conta family though loved me and thought it was cool to have the best youngest guardian protecting Haley.

The guests soon started to arrive. Lissa and Christian were the 3rd to arrive which im sure is much to Lissa's organisation. I was thankful though. For once I was going to have people to talk to that wouldn't treat me as another guardian or dhampir which is what has happened at nearly every royal function I have been to. As I walked towards them to greet them a waiter came past with some champagne I grabbed two glasses and handed one to Christian as soon as I got there. "Have this you look like your gunna need it."

"Thanks." He said as he took the glass from me.

Haley and I were seated with her parents and Lissa and Christian were on our table as well. Haley's parents talked to Lissa more than Christian but didn't treat him like everyone else does. They were cool royals. They didn't mind me taking Haley around the world and keeping her away from academy's as long as she was happy they were happy.

"Your right," Christian said "These functions are easy to get through when you have a couple or glasses of this stuff."

"It's also easier when you have people to talk to that aren't judging you." I replied. Wondering what Rose and Mason were doing at the moment instead of sitting here with us in a fancy hall eating fancy food talking to snobby royals. Ok some of them aren't that snobby but you could tell who were. I was just glad that through the whole luncheon neither one of my parents approached the table and I didn't site Adrian away from the waiters carrying the glasses of champagne the whole time. Although he did look at me a few times and gestured for me to come over to him and talk. I just shook my head or pretended not to see him.

By the time the guest started to thin out I had had 5 glasses of champagne and Christian had had about 8. He was babbling about something that no one could understand when Lissa decided he should go back to his room and sober up before dinner. I was tipsy but not drunk. I could still speak clearly and control myself without stumbling everywhere. I help pack thing up before making my own way to my room where I stayed for a while just watching tv and eating chocolate until I fell asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Sorry it took so long and its only a short chapter I just haven't really been bothered to write and its my last year of school so I've been busy but now I'm on holidays so hopefully I can get back into it.

NINE

The next morning I was woken up by being slammed into Haley's head. It was a strange feeling that I haven't experience like that for a long time since we have both worked out how to control it and she knows how to lock me out, me going into her head by a mad rush of emotion just doesn't happen anymore… well apart from now. I only got a small glimpse of what Haley was seeing as, as soon as I was awake my own automotive shield went up and I was pushed back into my own body.

I jumped up out of bed and was on full guardian alert mode looking around the room for whatever was causing Haley's emotional outburst. Only Haley wasn't in the room. That was when I started to go into my own panic mode. I ran into the ridiculously large bathroom but she wasn't there, I could feel my stress and panic start to consume me when I started to try and control myself so I could easily pick up a clear reading through the bond of where she was. Her parent's room. I was about to run out the door when I realised I was still in my pyjamas, thinking Haley is safe with her parents I calmed down and pulled on some jeans and tank top with a thick hoody grabbing my phone as I ran out the door.

Half power walking half jogging I made my way to Haley's parent's room and knocked on the door in my usual fashion. There was the sliding sound of the deadlock and the door swung open. Haley practically tackled me by diving into my arms sobbing. I hugged her tight while she sobbed hard into my shirt. I could feel the fabric dampening with tears. I patted her back and looked around the room with a questioning gaze. Her mother also had puffy red eyes. She had obviously been crying as well. Her father had a serious look on his face when he looked at me but turned to his wife and softened a little. I still had no idea what was going on and was going to burst if someone didn't tell me soon.

"Haley" I said in my best soothing, calm voice. She snuffled and looked up at me. Her face was red and puffy, bloodshot eyes and wet glistening eyelashes. "Haley, what happened?" I continued in my calming tone. She sniffled again before replying in a croaky, hoarse voice.

"D-Drozdovs, S-S-S-Strigoi, B-B-Badica" was all the managed to croak out before her quavering lip turned into full force tears and sobs again. I pulled her back into my bear hug and let her cry while I tried to comfort her. Her father was looking at me again but this time he looked as though he was judging me. I was wondering what for as both her parents liked me and often treated me as a daughter. They didn't even question my ability when Haley and I left the academy when we were 5 and went to live in Russia.

I was craving for details of what happened and to get more that 3 words of why Haley was so upset. All I could come up with was that there was another attack on the Drozdovs and Badica's. No matter how much I wanted to go and find Dimitri to get the full story I had to stay with Haley and her family. They needed me. The Drozdovs were close to the Conta's in that the families were good friends and often had luncheons together. Haley was really shaken up by the news and would not let me out of her site even though we were fully protected in this resort.

The Royal Moroi did as they usually would with the latest scandal and talked and talked and talked. A meeting was organised to discuss what happened and what should be done. I had learnt during the day that there had been a massive massacre of the Drozdovs that had been closely related to the one at the Badica house. Haley was still clinging onto my arm possessively as we walked into the hall. I saw that everyone was here guardians and Moroi. Haley started guiding me up the front with her family when I realised all the royals were sitting up the front. "Hales, I can't only Royals are sitting up here." I stated.

"Chloe, you are Royal so you are allowed up here."

"Shhhh, no one knows it's a secret and you know I don't associate with them and you know better than to call me Royal." I exclaimed in a rather angry tone. I instantly regretted it when I saw the look on her face. Her eyes were starting to well up with tears again. "I'm sorry Hales but I can't. I'll just sit up the back okay I wont be far away." I pried her hand off my arm and turned around heading back down the back of the room. As I walked back I saw the looks on everyone's faces and the distraught and hurt that this had caused everyone. Suddenly all the emotion I've been holding back all day surfaced. I felt my throat swell and my eyes moisten, my breathing picked up and I just couldn't handle it anymore. I bolted out the back door, tears threatening to fall, face reddening. I just had to get out of there. How could they just sit there and discus this like it was a party gone bad when the cake had a miss spelt word on its icing!

I ran out the door and into the old snowy night outside. The cold didn't stop me I just had to get away, get out of that place and just run. I ran up the mountain and didn't stop until my legs turned to jelly and refused to take me any further. They buckled underneath me and I fell down onto my knees. I still had tears streaming down my face and I was heaving, not from the run up but the breathing restriction from crying while I was running. I threw my head back looking up at the sky and just screamed and yelled and let out all my anger. I fell foreword into the snow and started hitting it riding myself of the frustration that had been building up inside me. I eventually rolled over onto my back exhausted. I had stopped crying but the tears had left my face sticky. The soft snow allowed me to relax, cooling my over heated body. I slowed my breathing and just lay in the snow staring at the stars. "Why?" I questioned them. "Why torture us in this world?" I don't know why I was talking to the stars when I knew they wouldn't reply. I continued staring up at them feeling a calming sensation fall over me. I relaxed more and even started grinning to myself. Laughing at what I had just done and giggling for no reason other than because if felt good to laugh. I made a snow angel in the snow I was lying on and drew a halo above my head. I took a few more deep breaths and just starting to feel the snow melt and the water trickle through my hoody and shirt wetting my skin my jeans were already soaked. I closed my eyes and took one last breathe before my brain switched off and fell asleep leaving my body lying in the snow.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Sorry I haven't updated in like ages but I haven't really been bothered and last year of school iv been strap for time. Anyway I hope you enjoy it I don't own anything other than Chloe and a few others.

TEN

I was semi-conscious, dozing not wanting to wake up fully and be faced with the worlds problems, enjoying the hazy bliss that sleep leaves. I roll onto my back and stretch my whole body much like a cat, taking a deep breath and yawning it out I finally open my eyes.

I sit bolt upright looking around the unfamiliar room. All remnants of my blissful haze gone. Hugging the duvet close to my chest I try to remember how I got here… in this strange room, in this strange bed, I look down, in these strange clothes. Still confused I climb slowly out of bed and wandered to the bathroom. Knocking before opening the door no one was in there so I walked back out. I saw a note on the night stand next to the bed.

_Umm Hello, _

_I don't know who you are but I found you asleep on the mountain freezing so I brought you back inside to get warm. I hope you don't mind I took your soaking wet clothes off and put a shirt on you. Your clothes are in the shower drying. I'm sure I'll see you around._

_Eric_

Great, just great. Some random picked me up carried me to his room, stripped me of my clothes and dressed me in his and put me in his bed. I dropped the note and ran into the bathroom getting dressed as quickly as I could seeing as my clothes were still slightly wet.

I was about to leave when I thought it was wrong after all this guy did for me. He could have left me to freeze. I picked the note back up and wrote "Thanks for everything much appreciated." Before scurrying out the door.

I was briskly walking down the hall not exactly knowing what part of the building I was in I came to a flight of stairs, sliding down the banister and continued walking in what seemed like circles going down a hallway and up another occasionally meeting more stairs when I walked around the corner and smacked straight into someone. I stumbled back and muttered a sorry before looking up at a male dhampir's face. He had dirty blonde hair and greeny grey eyes, hard, stern features that is he wasn't so surprised to run into me I would imagine would give off a killer glare. I expected a grunted apology and to keep walking but instead he smiled.

"Hey I'm Blake" he stuck out his hand.

"Chloe" I nodded and gasped his hand giving it a firm shake. "Uh I know this is a silly question but, how do I get back to the ST Vlads wing?" I asked.

He just smiled and grabbed my hand and led me down the hall the way he came. He was walking that fast that I had to jog to keep up with his longer strides. I was wondering why he was walking so fast and still gripping my wrist when we came around a corner and Rose and Dimitri were standing in someone's door way.

"How do you keep doing this?" I heard Rose ask someone, Frustrated.

"Do what?" I heard the voice of none other than my charming brother. I instantly realised we must be in the Ivashkov wing.

"Keep making us look bad!" Rose continued.

He let out a small chuckle "You guys are the ones who came here."

"You shouldn't have let them in," Dimitri scolded. "I'm sure you know the rules at St. Vladmir's."

Adrian Shrugged. "Yeah but I don't have to follow any school's stupid rules."

"Perhaps not," Dimitri said coldly. "But I would have thought you'd still respect those rules."

Adrian rolled his eyes. "I'm kind of surprised to find you lecturing about underage girls."

That was only making Dimitri angrier and I was worried his seamless never ending supply of self control was going to run thin but he managed to keep his cool, something he would not have been able to do many years ago.

"Besides," Adrian continued, "nothing sordid was going on. We were just hanging out."

"If you want to 'hang out' with young girls, do it at one of the public areas."

Adrian laughed then, it was weird I'd never heard him laugh like that before not that I have spend much time with him. "Young girls? Young girls? Sure. Young and old at the same time. They've barely seen anything in life, yet they've already seen to much. One's marked with life, and one's marked with death…. But they're the ones you're worried about? Worry about yourself, dhampir. Worry about you, and worry about me. We're the ones that are young."

We all sort of just stared until I decided I should make my presence known and break the awkward silence that was forming. "I'm sure we've all got better things to do than stand around here all day discussing things the only way to change is to leave."

Dimitri spun around clearly not knowing I was there he opened his mouth as it to say something until his eyes drifted down and stopped in between Blake and I. I looked down and just realised that Blake still had a firm grip on my wrist. His face changed to that of discussed before examining Blake from head to toe and turning back to me shaking his head.

"I honestly don't know why I waste my breath! You teenage girls are all the same! Rose is expected to break the rules she has only recently discovered that she has a small amount of self control and it is a very small amount, but you Chloe, I thought you had more and had put most of your recklessness behind you, and as for you princess I'm am just completely shocked that I don't know what to say." With his little speech over he stalked off leaving Rose and I staring at his retreating figure with our mouths open and Lissa nearly in tears. Rose and I seemed to unfreeze at the same time I broke out of Blake's grip and hurriedly made my way down the hall after him with Rose and Lissa not far behind.

"That was…strange," Rose broke the silence after a couple of minutes. While she was stating the obvious about Adrian's outburst someone needed to put it out there.

"Very," said Dimitri. He didn't sound angry anymore and when I glance over he looked puzzled and deep in thought.

When we reached the lobby we were all splitting up and Rose went with Lissa and I was going to go and find Haley until Dimitri called both Rose and I to him.

"Can I talk to both of you please?"

We stepped off to the side of the room to avoid being in the way of the moroi leaving in search of safer places. I guess these attacks have pushed everyone into a paranoia frenzy.

Dimitri's voice snapped me out of my minds babble and concerns as my attention shifted to him. Only at first he wasn't talking to me. "That's Adrian Ivashkov." He practically spat the name out.

"Yeah I know." Rose replied dryly.

"This is the second time I have caught you with him."

"Yeah, we hang out sometimes."

Dimitri arched his eyebrow and then jerked his head towards the hall we just walked out of. "You hang in his room a lot?" he asked possessively.

"What happens between him and me is none of you business."

"Actually, as long as you're at the academy, what you do is my business. Both of you." He said sternly finally turning towards me and including me into the convocation.

"Not our personal lives. You don't have a say in that. Well mine anyway I get the whole protective brother act for Chloe." Rose shot out in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Neither of you are adults yet."

"I'm close enough. Besides, it's not like we'll magically become and adult on our eighteenth birthday's."

"Clearly." He stated with a frown and eyes darting between the two of us.

Rose blushed. What was with that? "That's not what I meant. I meant-" she stuttered out.

"I know what you meant. And the technicalities don't matter right now. You're both academy students. I'm your instructor. It's my job to help you and to keep you safe. Being in the bedroom of someone like Adrian or anyone else you are not familiar with… well that is not safe."

"I can handle Adrian Ivashkov, he's weird really weird apparently- but harmless." Rose muttered.

"Just so you know Dimitri, Blake was only showing my way back to the lobby I sorta got lost and well ran into him he was helping me." I piped up for the first time in this convocation. I started out strong but as they both looked at me with intensive gazed my voice got weaker.

Rose shook herself as if just remembering something. "Speaking of personal lives… I suppose you were off visiting Tasha huh?"

I didn't have a problem with Tasha and wouldn't mind going to her room myself, she always has the most relaxing incense for when your in the bath and saves the best chocolates for you but thinking of Dimitri's recent offer well that made me queasy, its like picturing your brother and close friend practicing making babies. Well its not like that it is that exactly that and frankly I don't want to think about anybody I know in that situation except maybe my current partner at the time but that's beside the point.

"Actually, I was visiting your mother." Oh I am officially gunna be sick I really need to get my head out of the gutter. Come one the daughter is too young so you make a different age gap and go for the mother.

"You going to hook up with her too?" Rose stated even though we all knew it wasn't true but doesn't stop the unwanted images forming in ones mind.

"No, we were looking over some new data about the Strigoi in the Dorzdov attack." My mind completely wiped away any gutter related romance images and went straight to what has been happening in the outside world while I've been asleep and wrapped up in the hear and now and what the hell happened to me last night.

"What'd you find out?" Rose and I blurted at the same time.

Dimitri's lips turned up slightly amused at both our enthusiasm and change of mood at the new topic. "We've managed to track some of the Strigoi, or at least the humans with them. There were some witnesses who lived nearby who spotted a few cars the group used. The plates were from all different states- the group appears to have split up, probably to make it harder for us. But one of the witnesses did catch one plate number. It's registered to an address in Spokane."

"Spokane?" Rose asked incredulously, while my mind was still processing all the information. "Spokane, Washington? Who makes Spokane their hideout?"

"Strigoi, apparently," Dimitri said deadpan. "The address was fake, but other evidence shows they really are there. There's a kind of shopping plaza that has some underground tunnels. They've been Strigoi sightings around that area."

"So what are we going to do with this information, just sit on it?" I asked

Rose frowned. "Are you going to go after them? Is somebody going to? I mean, this is what Tasha's been saying all along… if we know where they are…"

He shook his head. "the guardians can't do anything without permission from higher up. That's not going to happen anytime soon."

Rose sighed while I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding. "Because Moroi talk to much." Rose and I said in unison.

"They're being cautious," he said

"Come on. Even you can't want to be careful on this one. You actually know where Strigoi are hiding out. Strigoi who massacred children. Don't you want to go after them when they don't expect it?" Rose said sounding as crazy as a new graduate guardian looking for trouble, or the dropouts back home thinking they are helping the world by doing stupid things like that.

"It's not that easy," he said. "We answer to the guardian council and the Moroi government. We can't just run off and act on impulse. And anyway, we don't know everything yet. You should never walk into any situation without knowing all the details." I sighed as he finished repeating what he had told me when I had came home with a verbal invitation to a party but didn't know the address or time or theme.

"Zen life lessons again," Rose sighed I'd say since him being her mentor she had heard her fair share but no way near as many as me. "Why'd you tell us all this anyway? Guardian stuff. Not the kind of thing you let novices in on."

He considered this and then let his guardian mask slip and his face softened. "I've said a few things… the other day and today… that I shouldn't have. Things that insulted both of you on you maturity and age. You're seventeen… bout you're capable of handling and processing the same things those much older than you do."

"Really?" Rose asked.

He nodded to both of us. "you're still really young in a lot of ways- and act young- but the only way to really change that is to treat you like an adult. I need to do that more. I still treat you as if you're 12 Chloe and act like you're my baby sister that still needs protecting but your not. I know both of you will take this information and understand how important it is and keep it to yourself."

I smiled he's finally going to ease up on the tough brother bravado, but sometimes I like feeling like in the little one that needs protecting. All the time being the protector I like to feel safe as well.

"Dimka," Came Tasha's voice as she walked up to us smiling as she saw Rose and I. "Hello, Rose and Chloe." She nodded politely.


End file.
